The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-06-17
CHILDREN OF NATURE
Sketches Taken in the Camp of me
Digger Indians.

Few people know that the Diggers.
who live in Pleasant Valley and are
known as the Pam bios, have musical
man among them. This Digger is
known as Bob. He is really good per-
former on the guitar. flute, fife, violin,
organ. and harmonica. He has played
for several 'paleface' dances, and
handles violin like master
He is pure blooded Digger, and, so
far as he knows, none of his ancestors
were unsteady inclined
The tribe" also boasts of having q
centenarian, an old squaw, whose hair
is white as snow, whose daughter is Is
years old, and whose only English
ejaculation is "Gimme two bits.
Capt. Pamblos is short, wiry old
fellow. He is about so years of age.
and is one of the most inveterate hun.
ters in the country. His unerrng aim
has laid down manya jackass rabbit,
andhumbled to the dust many a proud
woodpecker. The reason is this ,
Whenever they had dance, or, as they
call it, "a big SOUP" they rig them
selves as Enthusiastically as possible.
Every buck who wishes to dance must
buy ticket, paying for it in good solid
American silver.
AS ticket the scalp of the wood
pecker recommends itself. 1t is gaudy
and consp cuous. The tail feathers Of
the yellow hammer are also used lol
the same purpose, two feathers being
fastened to little stick which is worn
in the hair or carried in the hand
These "big soups" are frequent. A
A Digger will work hard for week or
two when the acorns are ripe and lay
in a supply of them for winter Then
he will notify some other tribe, and all
his relations back to the tenth genera
ton will come to see him and help him
devour the whole lot. Then they invite
the family of the host to their "cam.
pooda," and so the visiting and "bip
souping' goes on till all the relations
have visited each other and there are
no more acorns to devour
The Digger is child of nature, and
he cares little for the fashionable follie;
of the world. Some of them are notec
for their wicked ways, and one of this
Pamblos, a hard case known as Scar.
Face Dick, or Dick Tomale. has been
holy terror among his people for
many years. Several efforts have beer
made to kill him and his tribe and the
Nevada CityIndians, but all have failed.
He is the most intelligent Digger Of
them all, and will discuss any subject,
not ignoring religious matters. But
his favorite topic is spiritualism. His
arguments are often full of dry, sar'
castle humor. This dry humor is &
part of the average Digger's DISPOSE
ton. Capt Pamblos was once passing
house where young lady was sing
ing vigorously. He paused and listened
Then turning to boy who was play.
ing near he said, gravely: ''Why fol
she ely P" Dick Tomae once listened
gravoly to several young men and
women who were discussing ghosts.
At last he interrupted them, and in his
drawing way said: "Ya-as, believe in
ghosts, too. / met ghost one night
wasn't exactly full, but | had some
wine. II was dark, and l saw big,
white ghost get up out of the ground
and stand in front of me. | hauled OF
and hit him with my fist. you bet"
"Well,, said a listener" what wa
1t P"
Dick looked around mysteriously
picked up his rifle, spat at fly on hii
sleeve. and as he moved off with 6
light and cunning air, said in loue
whisper at was rock. "-Nevadf